Chatham House Grammar School

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Chatham House Grammar School
Chatham House Grammar School logo
Floreat Domus Chathamensis
Location
Ramsgate, Kent
England
Coordinates 51°20′16″N 1°24′25″E / 51.33778, 1.40694
Information
School district Thanet
Head of school John D. Matthews
Students 813
Type Grammar School
Mascot Pelican
Colour(s) Green
Established 1797
Homepage http://www.chathamhouse.kent.sch.uk/
For for the non-governmental organization formally known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, see Chatham House.

Chatham House Grammar School, often abbreviated to "Chatham House" is a grammar school in Ramsgate, Kent, England, founded in 1797 as a private boy's boarding school by William Humble, under the name Humbles Boys' School. [1]

The school has 813 students including the 262 students in the sixth form, accepting only boys in years 7-11, and a limited number of girls in the sixth form, mostly drawn from the Isle of Thanet that encompasses Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate, but some from as far away as Herne Bay.

On the 4th March 2008, the school had an Ofsted inspection which rated the school as outstanding - the highest grade achievable.[2] All areas that were inspected were found to be Grade 1 (oustanding) or Grade 2 (good) and the school was praised for its work.

Its 'sister school,' Clarendon House Grammar School, is a girls school, only a few minutes walk from this complex. The two work together to provide subjects, bands, and outings. Clarendon, like Chatham House, allows both boys and girls to sixth form it.

The school motto is "Floreat Domus Chathamensis", which translates as "may Chatham House flourish".[3]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] World War II

When Ramsgate was bombed during World War II, a bomb hit the school library (where a skylight now stands) but did not detonate. Prior to that, the library had been the school chapel, as evidenced by the quantity of stained glass.

The school had numerous entrances to the network of tunnels running under Ramsgate which were used during the second world war to shelter from air raids. Most of these entrances have now been covered up (now underneath the playing fields) but the last ones are still visible on the lower playground and have been used recently by the local fire authorities for training purposes.

[edit] Uniform

The school maintains a strict system of uniform throughout all years, including the sixth form. The uniform consists of a dark green blazer, dark trousers, white shirt and a green tie.

In the senior school (years 9-13) the colour of the tie remains green, but patterned with diagonal stripes to indicate house (colours shown below).

Some pupils also become eligible to wear ties in recognition of other achievement. House 'colours' are similar to the house tie but with a white stripe running along each side of the coloured stripe. School 'colours' are a single white school crest on a dark green tie with a white stripe. There are also 'colours' for sport and music, which consist of a repeating pattern of white stripes and the school crest.

[edit] House system

The school has a house system with the junior school consisting of years 7 and 8. From year 9 the pupils join the senior houses. In total there are 8 houses, 4 junior school houses and 4 senior school houses. In the senior houses pupils wear a tie indicative of their house. In year 12 (or lower sixth) the form groups are split into two. The nomenclature for representing a pupil's house is: 7La, 11He, 12He(ii)

Junior Houses - all wear a dark green tie

  • Brackenbury's (usually known as Brack's)
  • Larkin's
  • Norman's
  • White's (formerly Whiteheads)

Senior Houses - all use a dark green tie with coloured stripes

  • Heath's - white stripes
  • Mann's - orange stripes
  • Pearce's - light green stripes (known as School house until 1976)
  • Thomas' - pink stripes

Previous Senior Houses (no longer in existence)

  • Coleman's - sky blue stripes
  • Searle's - red stripes
  • Simmons' - royal blue stripes
  • Thornton's - yellow stripes

The house system is used for sporting events - house fixtures results accumulate over the academic year - and for various other competitions, including acting and design contests. The results from all of these fixtures are tallied at the end of the year to determine the winner of the Cock House Trophy.

[edit] Competition Cups

Throughout the school year, the house take part in competition cups, which contribute points toward the Cock House Cup. These include, the Taylor acting cup, Larkin Music Cup, Chapman Design Cup and the Curzon Picture debating competition. Also, sports day events and general achievement contribute towards the houses's points totals.

[edit] Expansion and status

Exterior of Chatham House Grammar School
Exterior of Chatham House Grammar School

The school was recently awarded specialist Science, Mathematics and IT status and construction of an extension to the Redman Wing to house extra classrooms and IT facilities was recently completed. There is a heavy emphasis on IT facilities within the school with plenty of state of the art equipment available for use by students and staff alike.

The school's headteacher has announced that in 2009, Chatham House will become a federation with Clarendon School, and that years 7,8, and 9 will remain unmixed at both schools, but then from year 10 onwards, the schools will mix pupils regardless of gender. Alongside this, the school's current science department (the "Redman Wing") will be demolished, and the currently new extension to the redman wing will be developed into a multi-story building. It is currently undecided whether Clarendon will be re-built onsite of Chatham House's grounds, but development at both schools will take place nonetheless.

[edit] Senior staff

  • Mr. John D. Matthews - Headteacher; Governor (retiring in summer 2008.)
  • Mr. Andrew Williamson - Deputy Head Pastoral/Organisation; Coordinator PHSE; i/c Careers; DCPC EVC, Geography Teacher
  • Dr. P. Birchley - Assistant Head, Director of Studies, KS3 Co-ordinator, Physics Teacher
  • Mr. Michael Moody - Deputy Head; Head of Sixth Form; School Improvement Plan; Staff Development; Geography Teacher. Former pupil of the school, with long standing holding the 100m record.
  • Mr. C. J. Harvey - Assistant Head; Head of English; i/c Graduate Teachers & NQTs. Former pupil of the school.
  • Mrs. D Canham - Bursar.

[edit] Notable alumni

Former Prime Minister Edward Heath is an Old Ruymian.
Former Prime Minister Edward Heath is an Old Ruymian.

Alumni of Chatham House are known as Old Ruymians.[4] Chatham House has the sixth highest number of Who's Who entries for state schools.[5]

Famous Old Ruymians include:

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ BBC Article
  2. ^ Ofsted Inspection - 28th March 2008
  3. ^ Times Online Article
  4. ^ Old Boys: Introduction
  5. ^ BBC Article
  6. ^ Heath, Edward. The Course of My Life. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1998, p111
  7. ^ A Kentish Lad Publisher: Transworld Publishers Limited (2000) ASIN:B000JFDP0S